Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

vILHEROD l GAR GOUPLING.

No. 288.999. Patented Nov. 27, 188s.

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UNrrn STATES ArnNr Fries..

JOHN H. HARROD, OF HUNTSYILLE, OHIO.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,999, dated November 27, V1883. l

Application filed June 4, 1R83.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN H. HARROD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Huntsville, in the county of Logan and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Iniprovenient in Gar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in an improved automatic ear'coupler, and chiefly in a beveled pivoted pin always attached in the drawhead, and operated and held in position by force of gravity; an inclined mouth to the bumper, to cause the link from a coupler of any height to reach the pin at the right point to couple automatically and with certainty; a shoulder to prevent the link from overturning the pin and escaping from the bumper; a slot to show when the coupling is made cor rec-tly; a slot for the pin to sink in when nncoupling, and suitable devices for operating my pin from the side of the car, in uncoupling and retaining the pin in proper position for making a running switch, and in the other positions needed in the various operations of coupling and unooupling the cars.

Figure 1 is a side View showing gravitating pin with beveled upper front face, iiaring lips yoi" the draw-head, and lever for operating pin from side of the car, part oi' the draw-head being cut away to show the iiaring lips and pin. The pin forms an inclined plane, fulerum, and lever. Fig. 2 is a side view showing a modification Fig. 3, 'view of pivot; Fig. 4, side view showing lever F bent across and along under the draw-head and extending up the side of the ear in such a manner that the backward movement of the lever moves the coupling-pin into position for uncoupling; Fig. 5, a sectional view oi the same; Fig. 6, a side view showing the bent lever F passing through the pin and 'over the draw-head, be ing operated from this position by wires passing to the side or top of cars; Fig. 7, an end view, showing pin, mouth of draw-head, and lever Fas operated from the sides.

A is' the draft-iron; B, flaring mouth of the draft-iron; C, the gravitating pivoted pin, which may be either made with weight E on lower end or sufficiently heavy to cause it to assume an upright position readily. The lower end is the lever and the pivot the fulcrum. F is the lever for operating the pin (No model .l

from the side of the car or from the top by handles or wires; G, chain and hook to retain my pin in position in a slot in the bottom of 1 the draft-iron, to allow the link to withdraw in uncoupling; D, pivot on which my pin is swung, having its end hinged at M to dropV down and hold the pivot in position; N, part of draw-head cutaway, so that brakeman can seewhen coupling is made; P, rope or wire attached to lever F and passed to the sideY or top of the car,l by means of which the pin is tilted and cars uncoupled; K, the usual pinhole in the draft-head to allow of coupling with the present style of pin, if desired for any reason.

The front part of the upper end of my coupling-pin, it will be observed, is an inclined plane, so that when the link strikes it it will slide up the incline, at the same time tilting it back, thus speedily slipping the link over the pin, which at once resumes its position and prevents the link drawing out. Practice proves that the link will not readily slip over and tilt the pin unless the front side of the piu is beveled.

Where the forni of draw-head will not readily admit of attaching my pin in the form shown, I change the construction to that shown in Fig. 2. In this form I attach my lever to the beveled couplingpin by a pivot or hinge, D, and pivot my lever at H, where, it will be observed, I make a small slot to allow of alittle forward movement when the link strikes the beveled front of the pin to tilt and depress it, the Weighted lever causing the pin to rise and resume its erect position as soon as the link has passed. The ball is adjusted on the lever so as to come in contact with the draft-iron when the upper end of the pin is flush with the lower door of the mouth of the draft-iron, thus preventing it from falling out of its proper place. The lever is worked from the side of the car by similar device to that shown in Fig. 1. The pin plays in a hole a little bit larger than the pin at the bottom, to al-ldw for a slight tilting motion, instead of being pivoted in a slot, as in Fig. l.

I sometimes make my lever or pin, Fig. 1, in two parts hinged together, so as to take oii the suddenness of the shock when the link strikes.

My device for operating the couplingpin IOO a esami@ from outside of the cars may be attached directly to the lever and extend straight to the sides or top of the car, or-by levers of either first, second, or third class attached to the car. v

rllhe pivot for my pin Imake jointed and split near the end that passes through the bumper, so that the part that passes through will drop into a vertical position and lock the pivot in securely, furnishing a pivot easily taken out to replace or repair a pin when needed. The other end is enlarged to form a head.

Instead of making lever F of form shown in Figs. l, 4, 5, or 7, I sometimes use a short lever passing through the bottom of the pin and bent up alongside the draW-head,as shown in Fig. 6, and inclined a little forward of perpendicular. To the upper end of this lever I attach a rope or wire, which I pass to any point on the car for use in uncoupling.

My device for operating the pin in uncoupling, te., as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 7, consists of a rod passed under and across the cars and up the sides suitable distances. As it passes under the draw-head it is curved forward, so as to form a swing just back of the pivot. The movement of the upright handles at the sides of the car will cause the swing to press the bottom of the pin forward and throw the top of the pinbackward on its pivot until the link can pass over it and uncouple.

I sometimes uncouple by means of wires or ropes attached to the lever F when attached to the pin, as shown in Fig. 6, the wire then passing to the sides or top of the car. By this means the brakeman can uncouple from any position on the car.

1. The combination, with the pivoted bevelfaced coupling-pin C, having I a Weighted hinged lower end, of the lever F, substantially as set forth.

2. rlhe combination, with a bevel-faced pivoted coupling pin which moves on its pivot in the direction of the movement of the link, of the shoulders of the draw-head, arranged so that the pin in drawing will bear against one at the top with its beveled face, and have a rear and front bearing below the link, substantially as set forth.

JOHN H. HAnRoD. 

